Hi
Prof Hannah Fry, mathematicican, author and presenter, was treated for cervical cancer last year. ‘Making Sense of Cancer with Hannah Fry’ is a 60 minute TV programme scheduled for June 2nd 21.00h on BBC2. May be of interest to some.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0017wzq
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Thanks Jazza will certainly watch.
AMF
Oh thank you!
Reminder for tomorrow 
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What did you think, ladies?
I chickened out of watching it given yesterdays news. - I was worried it might have a negative effect on me.
What did you think @Jacks133
I think you probably made the right call. It wasn’t actually all about cervical cancer, but more general - although her own journey was CC. I heard her speaking on woman’s hour the other day so I knew she was going to say a few things she did raise which would be a bit controversial, possibly. I’ll message you, Shammy. X
Very interesting I totally agree that when you get a cancer diagnosis you throw everything at it without really considering all side effects you think if you can get rid of it youll be able to cope with anything.
When you are first diagnosed they do talk about all the side effects and you’re given numerous leaflets and handouts. I read everything that i was given and although a lot of it was pretty awful i just disregarded it all.
We all know that some women do end up with life changing side effects yes they may have overcome cancer but their quality of life is poor.
Are lymph nodes removed unnecessary in some
cases do women understand their chances of lymphodema and its effects?
I never knew that some cancers can just be left alone albeit a small percentage and we are in danger of overtreating, in some cases subjecting women to unnecessary treatments.
Before i was diagnosed with cancer whenever the question was raised about quality over quantity I always said i would choose quality and i still feel this way. I would not pursue treatment at any cost sometimes you just have to accept that you are not going to be cured and live the best life you can.
Very thought provoking program.
I certainly agree that there are women who are not given any options regarding radical hysterectomy - I suspect there are places where a ‘might as well chop it all out’ policy is common - a ‘better to be safe than sorry’; I agree women are not given enough information about the possible implications and most of us, with a diagnosis of cancer, will want it gone and trust our consultants to make the best call on our behalf.
The programme raised issues that I’ve been mulling over since my diagnosis and I am pleased that Hannah Fry has put a voice to them.
As I’ve said several times on this forum lymphoedema is a major problem for me. I think I can very much empathise with how Hannah feels about having this life long progressive and potentially debilitating condition and how she feels about having perfectly healthy lymph nodes removed. I don’t think Hannah mentioned it but I don’t know why sentinel lymph node removal, which can reduce the risk of lymphoedema, is not routinely offered for cervical cancer patients.
On one occasion I said to my oncologist that if I wasn’t sure if I wouid ever consent to any further cancer treatment and she was quick to retort ‘oh yes you would just get on with it’ and made me feel it was a taboo subject when, as Hannah Fry has explained, it can be a very valid and sensible view.
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I had really really mixed feelings about the programme. I’ll spare you from my more non-constructive thoughts but, as informative as it was, it also didn’t provide much in the way of viable alternatives. And we saw what happened to Rob in the end so it was just a major bummer. For me it was like Mood music…“STARTLING FACT”…dramatic license…the end.
Agree, AnaM - I’m sure she would agree that this was very much her perspective, her attempt to make sense of it all, and explore other people’s experiences, albeit very few people, and no-one else with cervical cancer. The medical expert talking about over-treatment of cancer was referring to thyroid cancer, which appears to be typically slow growing and has a 98% (stats again 
) survival rate within 5 years in the US… I think something we need to remember is that Rob had been diagnosed with terminal cancer, and that in the end the treatment took over his life so much that he felt he was not able to spend the quality time he needed with his family, so it was his choice. Most of us here are not told we have terminal cancer. X
Totally Jacks, I mentioned in another forum that the generic approach to (the subject of) cancer was also a let down for me, even if the programme wasn’t billed as being focused on cc. I appreciated her sharing her journey, but then — to me — it all got jumbled and conflated.
